I/O psychology: functionalism, technology, training and cognitive psychology The aim of this article is to evaluate how functionalism and cognitive psychology work align with industrial/organizational functioning. (I/O) and advocate the use of functionalism and cognitive psychology, schools of thought to support the research topic on the effect of technological advancements, such as avatars, holograms and computer/web based teaching in employee training and development. Additionally, this article serves as a call to action for those in the field of I/O psychology to become leaders in the research and development of theories with practical applications in the work environment. Schools of Thought: Functionalism and Cognitive PsychologyThe psychology of I/O in the United States is the result of changes in the cultural trends of society since the emergence of Darwinism, the paradigm shift to functionalism, the Industrial Revolution, capitalism and scientific progress (Bingham, 1953; Katzell and Austin, 1992; Koppes and Pickren, 2007; Landy, 1997). I/O psychology studies the how and why of living organisms to adapt their mental processes and behaviors, which is a central tenet of functionalism in the work environment and functionalism, with its beliefs in experimental research, enables I/O psychologists conduct mental tests and experiments. , and quasi-experiments on human and animal subjects; thereby allowing industrialism and capitalism to flourish by helping organizations secure and maintain their competitive advantage (Hergenhahn and Henley, 2014; Katzell and Austin, 1992; Koppes and Pickren, 2007; Landy, 1997). Functionalism aligns with the research paper on technological advancements in the workplace as it applies to the training and development of...... middle of document...... al and Organizational Psychology, 5(2), 128-148. doi:10.1111/j.1754-9434.2012.01419.Turnage, J.J. (1990). The challenge of new workplace technologies for psychology. American Psychologist, 45(2), 171-178. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.45.2.171Tzei, L., Su-Mae, T., & Jayothisa, C. (2013). The effects of peer and expert instructional agents on learners' agent perceptions, task attitudes, and learning success. Journal Of Educational Technology & Society, 16(4), 275-286. Wan, Z., Compeau, D. and Haggerty, N. (2012). The effects of self-regulated learning processes on online learning outcomes in organizational contexts. Journal of Management Information Systems, 29(1), 307-339. doi:10.2753/MIS0742-1222290109 Wankel, C. (2009). Management training using social media. Journal of Organization Management (Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.), 6(4), 251-262. doi:10.1057/omj.2009.34